A common technique for the installation of an exterior door includes the use of a pre-hung door. A typical pre-hung door 10, as shown in FIG. 1, includes a frame 12 and a door panel 14. The frame 12 typically includes a threshold 16, a header 18, a latch-side jamb 20 and a hinge-side jamb 22. A plurality of hinges generally mount the door panel 14 to the hinge-side jamb 22. The pre-hung door 10 may then be installed within a rough opening 24 of a building defined by at least a pair of studs 26 and a cross beam 28.
Pre-hung doors 10 (also referred to as door units) are often preferred to separately hanging slab doors, especially for exterior entryways. This is because pre-hung doors 10 are pre-assembled to provide a tight fitting, substantially watertight seal between the frame 12 and the door panel 14. Pre-hung doors 10, however, can lack rigidity prior to installation. Thus, portions of pre-hung doors 10 have been found to bend, bow, twist, expand, contract or otherwise shift during shipping, handling and installation. These changes can reduce the quality of the pre-assembled seal between the frame 12 and the door panel 14. Maintaining or returning to proper alignment and spacing between the door panel 14 and the surrounding frame 12 can be highly dependent upon installation practices and the skill of the installers.
The present disclosure seeks to provide an improved shipping system for holding the door panel 14 closed during shipping, handling, and installation of the pre-hung door 10, to simplify installation and enhance rigidity of the pre-hung door.